Hello! Today I have a Banana Republic Factory haul to share with y’all. I have actually never bought anything from BR Factory until now. I took advantage of the friends and family sale at Banana Republic waaayyy back in 2007 to buy myself a capsule wardrobe when I started my first job out of college. I felt like a true grown up walking from my car at Petco Park across San Diego’s little downtown to my place of business next to Horton Plaza. It was so much fun. I got many compliments about how I always looked so pulled together and the pieces really held up. So I remember them fondly 😉 But since then I do not believe I’ve bought a single item from BR. Probably because I’ve worked from home since 2011 haha.
Apparently they’ve gone through a bit of a reinvention since that time. Recently they’ve gone back to their safari inspired origins and I’m all for it! They have some killer dresses right now, but they are quite pricey. This patterned maxi, for example, is GORGEOUS (and very reminiscent of Free People’s “Feeling Groovy” maxi dress – see it on me here) and I want it so bad, but even on super sale it’s just more than I want to spend right now. I’ve been challenging myself lately to either avoid shopping entirely or only buy with my accumulated rewards points and it’s actually been easier than expected! But I do get tempted.
Luckily I have a bunch of points from some Xmas gifts I bought from Old Navy (did you know all purchases from Gap, BR, Old Navy, and Athleta are part of the same reward program?!) so I was able to buy 5 (!) items at Banana Republic’s Factory store for the same amount of points/cost as 1 dress from BR. The quality is noticeably lower than the BR line (for example, some sheer items do not even come with a slip or cami and the fabrics differ quite a bit between lines), but it’s also a lower price point so a nice alternative if the BR brand’s prices are outside of your budget. Here are some winners in my book:
This dress is too cute, I’ve already worn it a bunch of times and I’ve gotten compliments with each wear. The slip is sheer and a bit ill fitting – you can see how low it is and the straps are already adjusted as tight as they get – so I might use a different slip from now on, but I know I’ll continue to get a lot of wear out of it as the temps climb. I love a sheer midi with sleeves!
In true Kate style I grabbed a blouse in the same pattern. I found it a bit hard to style at first, but the fact that it’s sheer helps it look more flattering. I like it belted, tucked, and left untucked – just be aware it’s too sheer to wear without a cami underneath and it does not come with one. I am all about easy to wear pieces these days. Comfort reigns supreme, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also look pulled together.
I thought it paired perfectly with these extremely comfortable knit pants from Express – where the heck were these when I was working in the office? Yes, they are basically thick leggings, but I actually think you can get away with people thinking they are true business pants due to the faux back pockets and the wider split opening at the ankle. When I do not feel like wearing leggings or jeggings these are now my go-to. I wore them on my birthday to a Brazilian steakhouse and I was able to eat and drink my fill in complete comfort haha. It looks equally good with denim IMO.
   
This blouse does not look like anything to write home about in these pics, but it’s really cute in person. They did a better job of showing off the details on the website I think (likely due to my dusty mirror again, sorry!). It’s a very versatile piece and again it’s nice to add some items with sleeves to my closet. It’s been pretty much all sleeveless up until this point so having more arm coverage without having to add a layer is very welcome.
I only bought this camisole because you can never have too many layering camis and it was so dirt cheap, but it ended up being a new favorite! It fits perfectly (in XL) and goes with literally everything in my closet. I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this one too and it’s nice to know where I can get some inexpensive camis when needed. The jacket is old, but here’s a similar version. Blank NYC makes killer suede jackets at the most affordable prices you’ll find. I also have one like this in pink. The cardigan is an older TJMaxx find, but here’s a cute alternative option. Talk about a comfy outfit! I can see this being a perfect jury duty look.
    
Ok I think that’s enough for today. I’ll see you soon my loves…
XO, Kate